In Which Mako Attempts Babysitting
by Magic Words
Summary: He should be used to it. He's taken care of his baby brother for nearly all his life. Right? Slight Makorra. Oneshot.


"Ooh, ooh, do it again!" she squeals, clapping her hands. Mako sighs and curls his hand into a fist before splaying his fingers open again. In his palm is a tiny fireball that bounces up and down, flickering merrily in the reflection of the young airbender's eyes. Mako is relieved that something has finally captivated young Ikki, but that relief is short-lived when Meelo tries to eat the fireball. Again.

"Meelo, no!" he shouts, extinguishing the flame before he can burn his tongue. "We do not _eat _fire!" Meelo releases a rather animalistic growl and sprints away from Mako and Ikki giggles. Mako turns to stare the seven-year-old down. "Where is Korra?" he asks, running a hand through his hair. The other is on his hip and he looks every inch like a frazzled, frustrated young mother.

"I don't knooow," she sings, bobbing on her toes. "Besides, _you're _playing with _me." _Ikki giggles and grabs Mako by the scarf and starts dragging him through the courtyard. "Has Daddy shown you the spinning gates yet? They're _fun. _Korra _hates _them but that's just because she can't airbend yet. She blew them up once, did you know that? It was _scary _and Daddy was so _mad!_" Mako sighs as the little girl drags him through the island. The two pass the meditation pavilion where a group of Air Acolytes try and fail to meditate peacefully. Mako grimaces and shoves a hand over Ikki's mouth who has the decency to look a little affronted and stop talking until they pass, where she bites his hand and continues talking. Mako wonders where she gets her breath and realizes _right, she's an airbender,_ and tries to tune her out.

"Hey _Eyebrow-Boy, _I asked you a _question!" _She stops and tugs on his scarf hard enough that Mako has to bend a little not to lose it.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asks, regarding the small human impatiently.

"I _said, _why don't you just _admit _to being totally and completely in _love _with Korra and fly into the sunset with her like you _both _want to?" she asks. Her hands are on her hips and she taps one toe impatiently and out of rhythm. Mako blushes furiously and squats to her eye level.

"It's more complicated than that, Ikki," he starts, staring at his shoes. "I like Asami too –"

"She's _boring," _Ikki complains. "She can't bend _anything."_

"There is more to a person than whether or not they can bend, Ikki," Mako explains patiently. "They're both pretty amazing girls –"

"You mean _completely _amazing!" Ikki squeals, excited that she got Mako to admit something about Korra.

"Yes, Asami and Korra are both amazing, but it's not as easy as it sounds. I can't just hurt Asami like that. She deserves better. And Korra deserves better than to just be the rebound girl."

"What's a rebound girl?" Ikki asks, her nose scrunched up. Mako sighs and tells her not to worry about it. He offers his hand and Ikki, smiling suddenly, takes it and continues dragging him. "We have a turtleduck pond back behind the bison stables. They're so _cute, _don't you think?" she asked, as if nothing had ever happened. Mako, realizing Ikki wants an answer, chuckles nervously and agrees that yes, turtleducks are very cute. "Korra does this cool thing where she bends the water underneath a turtleduck and makes it fly, but she can only do it with ducklings because mommy ducks are too heavy. And if the mommy finds out, she tries to bite Korra, so we have to run away, but Korra makes sure the little turtleduckling is safe before we leave!" she gushes. Mako smiles at her long-winded story and suddenly, they're at the pond. A mother turtleduck sits under a tree grooming her ducklings. Ikki and Mako sit on the other side of the pond and the older turtleduck gives off a warning quack.

"I like your brother better," Ikki admits. "He's more _fun." _Mako sighs and looks skyward.

"I've been told that countless times before, Ikki," he says, leaning back. The sunlight freckles through the trees and dances across his face. Ikki, oblivious to his rather dramatic comment, starts splashing at the pond to get the turtleducks' attention. Mako warns her not to fall in, but she manages to roll forward into the marshy shore anyway. Irritated quacks and sharp giggles pierce the air.

"Oops!" she trills, standing up. Mud covers nearly every inch of her front. Mako stands to drag her out, cursing his luck.

"Here, let me help you –" before he can get an inch closer, Ikki summons a small whirlwind from around her, sending mud flying every direction.

Unfortunately for Mako, most of the mud lands on him. Another oops and a giggle sound out, and Ikki is suddenly flying past him, gliding over the ground with little puffs of air beneath her feet. Mako shouts and gives chase. Her laughter is infectious, because he soon finds himself laughing too, dodging trees and roots, chasing the little blur of orange and yellow. They zoom out of the thicket of trees and Ikki disappears, but Mako collides head-on with –

"Augh, MAKO!"

Korra.

The two tumble to the ground in a heap, with Korra smashed underneath him, her face pinned to his chest. Mako blushingly rolls off of her and sits up. "Hey, Korra," he mumbles, glaring at Ikki, who has moved to stand next to her sister.

"What in Tui's name are you _doing?" _she mutters, and Mako runs his hand through his hair.

"Ikki got me dirty so I chased her." He looks up and notices for the first time that she's wearing traditional airbender attire. Her Water Tribe hairpieces remain in place, though. "What are _you _doing?" he asks curiously. Korra blushes and looks down.

"Airbending. Or trying to, at least. Jin and I have been at it for hours and I've barely gotten anywhere." Her answer comes out in a half groan, half growl, and Mako realizes that he's never seen her truly frustrated. He's seen her irritated at him, that's for sure, but never pure frustration. He decides it's cute and immediately decides again that he doesn't need to be thinking like that. Ikki's earlier question comes to mind and he shakes it off. "What did she do, anyway?" Korra asks, standing and offering him a hand. He takes it gratefully and tries to brush some mud off.

"Fell into the turtleduck pond." Korra snickers and brings her hands up level with his chest. With a motion of drawing them back, the drying mud unsticks itself from his clothes and drops in a neat circle at his feet. "Well thank you," he says in surprise, and Korra laughs again.

"Hey… where's Meelo?" she asks suddenly, looking at the two airbender sisters. The two shrug and Mako smacks his forehead. "_Mako! _Did you _forget _Meelo?"

He stutters and looks around him, as if trying to pull an excuse from thin air. "He tried to eat my fireballs!"

Korra raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms. "It's true, Korra!" Ikki pipes up. "He slobbered all over Mako and ran away!"

"Oh, so Mako didn't _forget _Meelo," Korra starts, walking toward him. She steps toe to toe, and for a minute, Mako is worried she might kiss him again – though it wouldn't be completely unwelcome, _no stop you're not single! – _and continues, "Mako _lost _Meelo!"

Mako glares down at her and puffs his chest out. "I wouldn't have _lost _him if you didn't leave me alone with the younger ones while you went off with Jinora –"

"Go off? I did not go off with Jinora, I am _training, _Mako –"

"Tenzin told us _both_ to babysit all _three _children, Korra –"

At this point Mako's hands are raised and gesturing madly on either side of Korra's head, and Korra has a slender finger jabbed into Mako's scarf. Ikki and Jinora both watch idly, Jinora smirking and Ikki trying to understand what's going on.

"It sounds to _me _that _you _want Amon to win this war – "

"Where in Agni's name did you get that idea?"

"I am trying to train and you are clearly _sabotaging me, _Mako – "

"The fact that _you _are shirking your responsibilities means that _I _am suddenly an Equalist?"

"It means that _you _are being selfish! I am the _Avatar! _I have to train to beat this guy, and all you're doing is running around with your pretty girlfriend – "

"Is _THAT _what this is about? You're finally admitting you're jealous of Asami?"

" – doing La knows what while I work my butt off trying to somehow tap into my spiritual energy as the Avatar – "

"Don't avoid my question, Korra, you're jealous of Asami – "

"I am not JEALOUS! Why are you always turning to that accusation?"

"It's not accusation if it's TRUTH!"

"You are infuriating!"

"Me? I infuriate you? _You drive me crazy!"_

The Avatar and the firebender stand so close the toes of their boots are touching, Korra glaring up furiously at Mako and he shoving hot, angry air in her face. Somewhere along the line, his hands had fallen to his sides; two twin daggers of flame now burn bright in his fury. At Korra's feet is a small whirlwind of leaves and dust. Cerulean and copper are locked in a violent, rage-filled gaze, chests heaving, teeth bared like animals. Korra's hand, unbeknownst to her, has twisted into Mako's scarf and pulled him closer. From far away, one would think the two were about to embrace.

The airbending girls are accompanied by the rest of Tenzin's family, Meelo munching happily away on Tenzin's head, Asami and Bolin. Asami looks angry and confused and Bolin looks like he doesn't know whether to laugh or hide. Korra and Mako both grunt angrily and turn on their heels, marching away from each other in perfect time.

It never occurs to either that they were being watched.

Or that they never looked for Meelo.


End file.
